San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-14
CHAPTER Ill.

CHAPTER Ill.
Captain Ruthven and his wife linger-
ed by the sea until the autumn was
over; and then be brought his wife to
London, where he intended to reside
during the rest of his stay in England,
which would not exceed year and a
half at the most.
They had pleasant little home in one
of the streets leading to Regents Park.
How happy they we're! The first trou-
BILE that came to them was the death Of
Miss Brooke. 1t was sudden at last.
Her maid, going one morning to call
her, found her dead, with smile on her
lips and a look on her face such as it
had not worn for many years. She had
left the whole of her little fortune,
amounting to two hundred year, to
May.
If it were not for you. Charley, >" said
the young wife, II should be alone in
the world. Aunt Bessie was the only
relative had living"
Il always wonder" remarked the Cap
tain, lat my own gOo,i fortune in win
ming you, 1t seems so strange to me
that every one did not want TO marry
you"
People did not see me with your
Il was your first lover and your first
ioveY" he continued, looking at her
sweet face.
My first, last, and only love Charley"
That Is some comfort. | should not
like to have MARI d woman who had
ever loved another man. | should al
ways fancy she was thinking of him
and wishing she had married him in
stead of me-"
Charley" said May quietly, "you
have made one mistake. You said you
were not jealous. Now believe you to
be one of the most j alous men that ever
lived. Beware of the feeling"
II begin to think so too. When I said
l was not jealous, said also that | had
never been tried. Remember, May, |
have never loved or been loved before:
and know that my wife will never
arouse my jealousy"
No" said May simply, Il never
shall"
So the first six months of their mar
ried life passed away; and then Captain
Ruthven began to perceive a change in
his wife. II was so gradual that he
could hardly tell how it first began. She
seemed quieter than ever; she had lost
in some measure the frank open manner
that had charmed him. Once or twice
he saw her with panied preoccupied
look on her face, as though she had some
care or trouble Of which he knew moth
ing.
Ever since they had been in London
he had spent some hours daily away
from home. He had business to attend
to commissions to execute for friends.
Several times, when he returned earlier
than he had intended, she seemed flut-
tered and agitated; her face flushed. and
she seemed more frightened than pleas
ed at seeing him. Captain Ruthven was
a jealous man, and he thought much Of
these little things.
One morning, after wakeful and
restless night, he made up his mind to
speak to his wife. She looked up at
him with bright smile as he entered
the tIeakfast-rOom. She was arranging
some spring flowers in the vases, and
she looked so bright and beautiful, so
happy and loving, as she smiled at him,
that the Captains suspicious vanished
into thin air. Still he had resolved to
speak to her, and, both in small and
great things, he was man who rigidly
adhered to his resolutions.
May" he said, folding the little fig
ure tenderly i'll his arms. you have not
seemed like yourself lately. / cannot
tell how you have changed, but you
seem changed to me. Are you not hap
pyYn
Happy" she repeated, looking up
with eyes that told how much she loved
him. II never dreamed even of being
as happy as i am now"
Then have you some secret you are
hiding from me? Is there something
in your life that do not know of-some-
thing, pain or pleasure, i'll which have
no share?"
A crimson blush covered the face that
she turned from him, and her lips trem-
bled while she smiled,
"You are growing jealous, Charley"
she said lightly; land you know you
promised that should never be-"
He let this equivOcal answer pass, and
he blamed himself afterwards that he
did so. He felt veXed and disappointed,
He was too proud to pursue the subject,
and it ended there. But three minutes
afterwards May laid her beautiful hand
upon his shoulder and whisperedto him
that he was foolish to be angry, for she
loved him SO dearly; and then he felt
happy again.
Three or four days after that, Mrs.
Ruthven told her husband one morning
that she was going out shopping.
write one or two notes for me be-
fore you CO." he said; for the Captain
had fallen into the idle way, so natural
to some husbands, of never writing a
letter himself, but always asking his
wife to do it for him.
May consented, with a smile at his
laZiness. He watched her as she I'M
locked her desk and sat down to answer
| his letter. His eyes dwelt fOndly on the
sweet earnest face, the graceful figure,
and the little white hands. He thought
how beautiful she was, how dearly and